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Though they generally don’t get any respect here in the U.S., scooters are wildly popular vehicles elsewhere in the world, and most manufacturers believe the market will continue to grow. It also happens to be the newest segment for BMW Motorcycles, whose C650 GT and its slightly sportier sibling, the C600 Sport, enter the segment on the upper end of the “maxi scooter” range. But according to the same people that gave us the Sports Activity Vehicle, these aren’t maxi scooters. Given that history, BMW‘s decision to dub these Urban Mobility Vehicles is appropriate, even if it is nonsensical.

Powering the C650 — and, despite the slightly different name, the C600 Sport (blame the marketing department) — is a 647cc parallel-twin that makes a considerable 60 hp and 49 lb-ft of torque. That power is quite welcome, given that both are fairly hefty machines. The more svelte C600 weighs just under 550 pounds, while the more plastic-y C650 tips the scales at a whopping 575 pounds — it’s as heavy as the battle-ready 1200 GS Adventure. Unlike the big adventure bike, however, the scooters carry most of their weight down low and close to the ground, masking some of their considerable mass. They’ll also get better fuel economy, which should be around the 50 mpg mark, give or take a couple based on duty cycle.

Both scooters use a CVT rather than the sequential manual typically found on motorcycles. As a result, the transitions are a bit uneven. Motorcycles have five controls (front brake, rear brake, clutch, shifter, throttle) but these CVT-equipped scooters have just three (front brake, rear brake, throttle), with the front brake in place of the clutch and the rear brake in place of the motorcycle’s front. (Imagine the clutch pedal on a car suddenly acting as the brake, and you get the idea.) After grabbing a couple of handfuls of front brake early on, I got used to it fairly quickly, though my left foot would occasionally try to shift the air during acceleration. The upside of the simpler controls is that it makes the scooter more readily accessible to more customers, since it removes the need to learn how to operate a manual transmission. The downside is that it makes the scooter sound buzzy, especially at freeway speeds. Aside from that, the ride is smooth and comfortable. The windscreen does a good job of doing its job, especially if you’re on the south end of 6 feet in height and your head doesn’t stick out over it.

In addition to ease of use, the C650 is more practical than most motorcycles. There are two storage pockets up front, one on each side of the steering column. These don’t lock, but are handy places to put things that normally go in your pockets, such as your wallet or cell phone. There’s also a 2.1-cu-ft storage compartment under the seat that has enough space for a pair of half-face helmets (or two smaller full-faces), but only on the GT. The C600 Sport makes do with a fold-out compartment that can only be used when the scooter is parked. I’d get a plastic hard case that would provide a regularly shaped storage area and increase the total available storage.

Potential C650 GT buyers will be intrigued by some of the comfort features BMW offers, including a power-adjustable windscreen, heated grips, and a heated seat. These help increase the comfort level in colder temperatures and are far more important than the scooters’ dynamic performance because, well, it’s a scooter. Those who care about the riding experience are far more interested in another BMW — the screaming S1000RR super sport.

Overall, the C650 GT does its best work when used as a commuter. It’s comfortable, far more fuel-efficient than almost all cars, and has the storage space to be useful for running before- and after-work errands like going to the gym or making a quick grocery store stop. In California, where lane splitting is legal, it also offers the advantage of a quicker commute since you’ll be able to scoot right by the jam if you’re brave enough. Its $10,000 price tag is fairly steep for a two-wheeler, but if you’re looking to get into two-wheel commuting without all the other pesky details of motorcycling, BMW has quite a compelling offering. Just don’t think about looking cool on it. It’s not going to happen.